Haiti (MNN) — Humanitarian
shelter in Haiti is in a scramble for time. There is less than a month to go before the start of the rainy
season.
However, the end of February announced
itself in heavy rains that caused flooding and deadly mudslides. By
Tuesday, there was still standing water in many homes.
Fleeing
from conditions either unsafe or unsanitary, these refugees swelled the ranks of others who
were seeking refuge from the quake in Port-au-Prince. Authorities estimate more than a million
are without shelter.
Food for the Hungry is focusing
on creating shelter, child-friendly spaces and cash-for-work programs in areas
where people are flocking for refuge away from the capital.
The communities of focus for FH's
relief work are: Bellevue La Montagne, Siloe, Kenscoff and Aux Cadets. More than 50,000 displaced
people are in these communities, and more than 120,000 people are affected.
The recovery program led by Food
for the Hungry is meant to help affected families remain in their home
communities. The team is helping these
people re-establish a routine as well as lay a foundation for further recovery.
This approach will serve as an
alternative to the large temporary camps being constructed for displaced people. Tent cities meet immediate needs but cannot address long-term recovery.
A deeply-spiritual people, the
trauma has brought questions to many. FH is also training
pastors and church leaders in holistic Biblical worldview,
child protection, gender-based violence prevention, psychosocial care, disaster
preparedness and community organization. Teams are also providing grief counseling services to help communities cope with trauma.
Even as revival breaks out, FH is training church leaders and pastors to be the hands and feet of Christ. They need your help. Click here.
